February 18, 2016

Reading

Esther    7: 12, 14-16, 23-25

7:12 She answered him, and ordered him say to Mordecai:
7:14 And when Mordecai had heard this, he again sent word to Esther, saying, “Do not think that you will save so much as your own soul, just because you are in the king’s house and are above all the Jews.
7:15 For, if you remain silent now, the Jews will be delivered through some other opportunity, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for this reason, so that you would be prepared for such a time as this?”
7:16 And he entrusted her (there was no question but that it was Mordecai) to go in to the king, and to petition on behalf of her people and her native land.
7:23 You are Lord of all, and there is no one who can resist your majesty.
7:24 You know everything, and you know that it was not out of arrogance or indignation or some desire for glory that I did this, so that I refused to adore the very proud Haman.
7:25 (For I was freely prepared, for the sake of the salvation of Israel, to have willingly kissed even the footsteps of his feet.)

Gospel

The Holy Gospel According to Matthew   7: 7-12

7:7 Ask, and it shall be given to you. Seek, and you shall find. Knock, and it shall be opened to you.
7:8 For everyone who asks, receives; and whoever seeks, finds; and to anyone who knocks, it will be opened.
7:9 Or what man is there among you, who, if his son were to ask him for bread, would offer him a stone;
7:10 or if he were to ask him for a fish, would offer him a snake?
7:11 Therefore, if you, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your sons, how much more will your Father, who is in heaven, give good things to those who ask him?
7:12 Therefore, all things whatsoever that you wish that men would do to you, do so also to them. For this is the law and the prophets.